Just Pretend
by Tattooed on My Mind
Summary: Daddy’s little girl falls for a bad boy. Can the Kisaragi girls bring their shortstop back to reality before she loses herself to a few tubes of lipstick and a green wig?
1. Opposites Attract

_**A/N:** This has been a much anticipated project for me. I was planning on doing it at the beginning of Winter Quarter, and things happened so it took a while. I finally have it up now, even though it's the end of WQ. UGH. Too much energy went into the thought process of this fic for me to put it off, but college is a bitch._

_Anyway, this is a big challenge - I haven't written a multi-chaptered fic in forever and it's focusing on a character with very little character development. Oh well, I'm up for the challenge, I guess. No guarantees, but I'm hoping this is up by Anime Central 2010. Knightskye and I are cosplaying Kanako and Tami. If you're going, you should remember this fic and find us. winkwinkknudgeknudge_

_Hope you enjoy!_

**Disclaimer:** Don't waste your time with lawsuits - I don't own Princess Nine.

* * *

**Just Pretend**

_Daddy's little girl falls for a bad boy. Desperate to be with him, she drops her label as a good girl and lets her other side gradually take over. Can the Kisaragi girls bring their shortstop back to reality before she loses herself to a few tubes of lipstick and a green wig?_

**Chapter 1 – Opposites Attract**

_His red convertible is parked at the hill. He could see the city lights shining bright as ever from the driver's seat, but he is not paying attention. He fumbles with his keys and the radio, cursing at his car for not cooperating with him on this important date. She, on the other hand, stares blissfully at the colorful lights as they combat the stars to show which shines brighter. A prisoner in her own home, she realizes how she's never seen the city lights from a distance._

_Her focus is pushed away as he reclines the passenger's seat as far as it goes. Her seatbelt clicks open and, soon enough, all she can see are his eyes, an even bigger threat to the shining stars and city lights. He cracks his signature smirk, causing butterflies to erupt in her stomach as buttons fly open. In a matter of minutes, nothing with a button is covering either of them. They lie alone, lit only by the moon, the streetlamps, and cityscape behind them._

"_The city looks so bright from here," she sighs, looking past his muscular shoulder as far as she can. His gaze follows, his head nodding in agreement. He turns back to her, staring at the way her face lights up when she smiles, the way her green eyes still shine behind the large frames of her glasses. Her hand makes its way to his collar, their skin tones contrasting even in the dim lighting._

_He pushes her back down to the chair, placing his knees on both sides of her lap, bringing his face mere inches away from hers. "S'all for you, Princess." He takes her glasses away, sets them on the dashboard so they can still reflect the lights of the city, spits out his toothpick, and moves in closer. The kiss is soft, gentle – incredibly unlike the boy, but all for her in the long run. When they break, her green eyes shine more than anything. "Kanako…" he calls, sweetly, causing her to smile once more._

_She leans back in for another kiss, but hears him say her name instead. He moves away every time she goes forward. "Kanako…" he calls again, confusing her by his actions. _

_By the time she sits fully upright, he's gone, leaving her alone in his car, with nothing but the moon, the streetlamps, and the city lights below._

_

* * *

_

"KANAKO!"

Kanako sat upright in her bed, sweat trickling down her forehead, eyes wide. She glanced to her right to read the time - 7:45 AM. Her mind in panic mode, she stumbled out of bed, tangled in her bed sheets and broken dreams. "I'm up, dad! I'll be down soon!" she called to her father from behind the door. His grunting and footsteps were heard from her bed, even as she freed herself from its clutches.

She threw on her school uniform, taking the extra minutes to make sure every bit of fabric was tugged at the right place, free of wrinkles or imperfections. Her bow was impeccably tied as she was never one to fumble, even when late. Her glasses were left last as her finishing touch. Able to see again, she stared into the mirror before her and sighed. "Well, Kanako," she spoke to herself, "you can't let yourself mess up the rest of today."

She gently ran down the stairs, encountering her father brewing tea in the kitchen. Before he was able to pour the tea himself, she gracefully grabbed the teapot from the stove. "It's okay, dad, I can pour it for you," she said with a smile on her face.

Principal Mita scratched his head as he watched his daughter pour his morning tea. "You know, you don't need to do everything for me when you're still half asleep, dear," he told her, accepting the cup of tea.

Kanako shook her head. "No, it's really nothing, dad. I'm always willing to help." She smiled yet again, reassuring him everything was okay before skipping off to grab the newspaper and the rest of his breakfast. However, by the time her father was situated, the clock hit 8 o'clock. She grabbed a small scone, slipped on her shoes, and headed for the door when she heard her name called once again.

"Kanako," Principal Mita started, standing up for a split second to talk to his daughter, "You really don't have to rush. You're not as late as you think you are."

She turned back around and walked to her father. "I have practice today. Ryo says I have to be punctual." She kissed her father on the forehead and dashed off towards the door. "I'll see you later, dad!"

"Kana–" But she was gone by the time he could call her again. Principal Mita sighed. "Those baseball girls are rubbing off on her," he said to himself as he shook his head. "Oh well. Whatever makes her happy."

* * *

The practice room was filled with idle chatter from all of the girls as captain Ryo Hayakawa tried to call role. It was a point in the season where the girls were bored of being ordered around by the star pitcher and went back to their initial near-barbaric approach of ignoring her and going about their own business. Unfortunately for Ryo, Nene was also no help. No one listened to her either. Koharu and Izumi were sectioned by themselves, talking about the classes they shared together. Seira and Yoko were arguing as they did every day, with Mao holding the two apart so they would not legitimately fight. Hikaru and Yuki sat together, discussing the men of their sister school.

Eventually, Ryo had enough. "Okay, guys, I'm calling role! I'm going by jersey numbers today!" She rolled her eyes to the sound of "Nobody cares!" coming from Izumi's direction and looked off her clipboard to take attendance. "Okay, I'm here. Two… Mao!"

"Here!"

"Hikaru!"

"I'm _always_ here, Ryo! You know this!"

"Hey, whadya skipping me for?" the red head exploded.

"Seira, we're going by numbers, remember?" Koharu calmly reminded, reclining on her chair.

"Geez, this gets changed every time we do role…"

"Seira's obviously here… Izumi!"

"First one here, as always."

As Ryo searched her clipboard for number six, Kanako showed up at the doorstep. "Kanako!"

"Present!" the shortstop called, startling the pitcher. "Sorry I'm late!"

"Oh, no problem!" Ryo reassured. "Yuki!"

"Here."

"Koharu!"

"Yup!"

"Yoko!"

"Here!"

"I guess everyone's here!" Ryo exclaimed, setting the clipboard down. "So, as soon as Kanako gets dressed, we should all go out and practice!"

Izumi smacked her hand to her head. "That's usually why we come here every morning," she sighed, dodging the daggers Ryo stared at her.

As the rest of the team bickered and conversed amongst themselves, Kanako slipped into the changing room. Her hard work into getting her school uniform perfect became in vain as she removed it for practice. While she changed, she thought back on the dream she had the previous night. There was no denying it – this was not the first dream she had like this. She regretted having them, wished she would not have them so she could focus on the team, her schoolwork, everything on which she had focused until now. Instead, all that came to mind was a boy, a car, and the city lights.

Her life was no secret. She lived a sheltered life, alone with a father that controlled the way she thought, the way she saw, and, ultimately, the way she lived. She had never seen the city lights at night from a distance. She had never been in a car with anyone other than her father. She had never been in love, like two of her teammates. As much as she adored her father and would never sacrifice her family for anything in the world, Kanako had reached the point in her life where she wanted adventure. She wanted experience. She wanted to live a little bit more.

She made it out onto the field, clad in her baseball uniform. Everyone was out in their positions, Koharu at home plate for fielding practice. Kanako reached the short stop position and readied herself for the ball when the girls heard a gaggle of thuggish cackling approach the fence.

The boys of Hori Private stood behind the fence around them, their eyes gawking at every single girl on the field. Their idiotic laughter intoxicated the field, causing nearly every girl to scoff in disgust. The girls could feel each boy picking them out for whatever their sick minds wanted, wanting to ignore them but unable to avoid feeling violated.

The pitcher, Yano, placed his hand on the fence, shaking it harshly. "Well, well, if it ain't the cute little Kisaragi princesses practicin' to play with the big boys. Isn't that sweet?" A cocky laugh erupted from the muscular brute, echoed by the thugs behind him. "Why don't you girlies drop your little games and come take a ride with us?"

Ryo spun around on the pitcher's mound and shouted, "We're here to actually successfully play this year, not to screw around with a bunch of creeps like you!"

The boys cried in sarcastic terror before laughing hysterically yet again. One member stepped forward, his eye on second base. "Hey, Morimura! Do you run at night? 'Cause I see you sprinting 'round my head every night in my dreams!" He hooted, causing the sprinter's blood to boil faster by the second.

"Oh, trust me, bub," Seira started, getting ready to run over to the fence, "you don't wanna see me running at night!" The other girls warned Seira not to get too involved as the next thug approached the fence.

"Yoshimoto, I heard you're good with _both_ hands!" another boy hollered, enraging the first baseman.

"Ugh! Switch-hitter jokes are the worst!" Hikaru exclaimed, pulling her hand into a fist. "I'll make sure you find out how well I can hit with both hands!"

"Himuro, I dig the noises you make when you hit them balls!" Another one cooed at Izumi, who just shook her head in slight embarrassment.

"Hey, Hotta!" yet another boy called out. "Let me handle that big instrument. I'll show you the real way to use it!"

Koharu just stood there, shaking her head slightly. "Wouldn't you just love to," she whispered, trying to ignore the images dancing in her head.

The other girls got ready to attack or hide, depending on the personality. Kanako, however, just stood there, staring straight at their captain. She would never admit the attraction she had toward him and even to that day, she could never understand why. What made this brute so intriguing? Why does he keep appearing in her thoughts and dreams? Why does he seem so different in her head than he does in real life?

"Hey, little Mita."

Midway through her thoughts, she caught his hidden eye staring right at her. She jumped slightly as he started to talk to her.

"Why don't you grow up outta daddy's house and come play with the grown ups? I'm sure we could have a good time," Yano flirted, winking slightly at her through the shadows of his eye socket. Kanako stood still, frozen, unsure of what to say back to him. As she tried opening her mouth to respond, a drunken roar came out behind them.

"What're you girls doing? Stop paying attention to them and keep practicing!" Coach Kido commanded. The other girls willfully and gladly turned around, praising their coach for the first time as he pulled them away from the harassing bullies.

As Hori private's laughter drowned out in the distance, however, Kanako was still standing somewhere between right and center field, several feet away from her position. Part of her wanted to walk with them, to join them, but she could not. Upon hearing her name, she slowly walked back to her position close to Seira.

"Those bastards scare you, Kanako?" Seira inquired. "You seem kinda out of it."

Kanako quietly shook her head. Technically, in a way, they did scare her. He scared her. However, he scared her enough to intrigue her, enough to attract her. But she could never tell anyone how she felt, let alone someone as scary and intimidating as Seira Morimura. She had already done the same deed to Kanako in the past.

The shortstop straightened her glasses and waited for Kido to hit the ball to her. Her day had a rough start already. She was late due to a dream, that had haunted her for so long, about a guy about whom she felt she was not allowed to dream. She was approached by said guys and became surrounded by a sea of negative energy. There was legitimately nothing more that could go wrong with the day, and Kanako intended on keeping it that way.

The ball went to shortstop and she caught it with ease. Luckily, there was always baseball to keep her mind off of how opposites attract and how she needed to grow up someday soon.


	2. Stranger Danger

**_A/N: _**_Took a break from IRE. I figured since school is starting in a little under two weeks, and I'm going back to Chicago in exactly a week, I should stop updating IRE like a mofo and actually work on this. Since this is more my baby. Kinda._

_I've actually had the first part of this for a while. It wasn't until this past week that I finally got around to writing more. Sorry I fail at updating - I had a bad spring quarter and then Otakon came and then I got into Sailor Moon and I don't even like Kanako so it was hard to update. But now I'm back! I will hopefully update more often, but no guarantees. I don't play the guarantee game._

_To make up for how long it took me to write this, this chapter is 5, 081 words. as well as 14 pages in Word when using 12pt Verdana. Probably the longest chapter I've ever written. Ever. So yayyy!_

_To the three that have reviewed, I appreciate the love wholeheartedly and hope you guys continue to review and enjoy!  
_

**Disclaimer:** Don't waste your time with lawsuits - I don't own Princess Nine.

* * *

**Just Pretend**

_Daddy's little girl falls for a bad boy. Desperate to be with him, she drops her label as a good girl and lets her other side gradually take over. Can the Kisaragi girls bring their shortstop back to reality before she loses herself to a few tubes of lipstick and a green wig?_

**Chapter 2 – Stranger Danger**

For the girls of Kisaragi High, arguably the most amazing feeling of the week, aside from hearing the bell at the end of last period, was ending afternoon baseball practice on a Friday. The week had been long, and all of the girls were ready to pack up their baseball gear, put away their uniforms, and go home for the weekend. Granted, practice would continue, but it was a wondrous weight lifted off of all of their shoulders to know that school was not their priority the next few days.

For Kanako Mita, school was always a priority. She always felt as if her homework constantly piled up on her, every day, weekday or weekend. Perhaps it was the spooks and scares of being the school Valedictorian. Perhaps she was just paranoid. Either way, she knew she could not let the weekend get to her, and she was not about to let it come close to doing so.

Of course, studying alone becomes less and less fun by the day when you have friends all around you. She walked up to the team captain, figuring she'd be the safest bet to be her study partner for the night. There was never a night when Ryo Hayakawa was homework free, and there was never a night where Ryo Hayakawa was not stressing out over it. Smiling, Kanako held her books up to her chest and approached the pitcher. "Hey, Ryo?"

The captain spun around, cheerfully facing her fellow teammate. "Oh, hey, Kanako! What's up?"

"Are you, by any chance, busy tonight?" Kanako inquired. "I figured maybe we could have a study group tonight." She held up the giant book in front of her, the word _Physics_ written on the cover in big, bold letters. "I have a lot of Physics homework to do, and I think it'd be a good idea if we worked together." She disregarded the fact that Ryo was not even in her class, let alone in Physics, but figured the answer would be yes anyway. Ryo never turned down an offer to bond with her teammates.

That assumption, however, was shattered like glass when Ryo's cheerful smile turned apologetic. "Oh, I'd love to, Kanako, but I promised my mom I'd help her out with the bar tonight. That's a lot of work on its own, and I don't even know Physics."

Kanako's head turned downwards. "Oh, I see… Do you think anyone else would be free enough to study with me?"

"Hmm, let's see…" Ryo pondered, her finger to her lips, her eyes to the ceiling. "I guess you could ask Mao or Izumi. I'd say Koharu or Hikaru would be fun to study with, but I think they're considering homework 'Part B' tonight."

Kanako tilted her head. "'Part B'?"

Ryo nodded. "Yeah, something like that. According to Hikaru, on Friday nights, you can't have 'Part B' without 'Part A'."

"Oh my God! Did I really hear you say that, Ryo?"

The two girls turned around to see the rest of the group standing by the doorframe, holding in their mysterious laughter. Hikaru was leaning against the wall, shaking her head at Ryo's statement.

Ryoraised an eyebrow. "Umm…I guess so? Isn't that how it goes? You can't have 'Part B' without 'Part A'?" She inquired, bringing on more giggles from the centerfielder and a smack to the head by Izumi.

Hikaru threw herself into a giggle fit. "No, no, Ryo. You're saying it wrong." She stepped in front of the group to get closer to Ryo and Kanako. "The phrase isn't _'_you can't have _part b_ without _part a_'. It's 'you can't have _part B_ without a _partaaaaaaay_!" She ended the phrase with a cheer and a dance to the sounds of clapping and whistling in the background by Yoko, Seira, and Koharu. "Man! I've been so ready for tonight!"

"I know! I'm so ready to mingle and dance!" Yoko exclaimed. "And we get to dress up, which will be _so_ nice!"

"Ugh! I'm excited to finally relax and let loose!" Seira announced, swishing her hair a bit to the side. "I feel like this entire week has stacked up against me. I need a little fun in my life."

"Hey, Hikaru! You wanna meet in my dorm to pick outfits and do makeup before we head over?"

"Hell, yeah, Yoko! I need to figure out what exactly I feel like wearing. I can't tell if I feel like a purple or a green tonight."

"Sounds great! Koharu, what about you?"

"Eh, I'm stickin' to the good old-fashioned black and white tonight, so I don't need the fashion help. I may stop by anyway though, just for shits and giggles."

"Yoko, do you mind helping me with my makeup tonight? I kind of wanna surprise Soshi."

"Mao, anything to help a couple in need!"

"Excuse me?"

Everyone stopped their conversations to turn to Kanako, who genuinely looked confused. "What exactly is going on tonight that everyone is attending?" She asked, her eyebrows shifted in too many directions.

"There's a party at a club downtown. All the high school kids are goin'. Kisaragi, Rinkai, you name it," Koharu explained. "And we're all headin' down tonight too. Figure it should be fun, right?"

"Yeah, but shouldn't you all be avoiding staying out all night?" Ryo asked, slightly worried. "We all have practice tomorrow, bright and early as usual."

"You just aren't observant, are you?" Izumi scoffed. "Party night is every Friday night. They've all been out partying every Friday night for the past God knows how many weeks. It's been a tradition for a while." She ignored Ryo's eye rolling as she grabbed her bag. "I, however, am planning on passing this week. I have quite a bit of Calculus that I would like to get out of the way as soon as possible."

"Oh, then, would you like to join me tonight, Izumi?" Kanako asked, holding up her book once again. "I'm not planning on going to this party either, and it'd be cool to have someone to study with."

Izumi thought about Kanako's request until the bold word on the front of her book shined in her eyes. "Oh, God," she sighed in sheer disgust, "not when that infernal subject is involved. I was planning on procrastinating on that." She turned to the other girls. "Yoko, may I borrow your closet again? I'll skip Calculus tonight. Takanawa isn't _that_ important to me."

"Yeah, I'm sure I have something," Yoko responded, still locked in a conversation about eye shadow with Hikaru.

Feeling bad, Mao turned to Kanako. "Unfortunately, Soshi really wants to go to this club, and we haven't had a legitimate date yet…"

Kanako stopped her. "It's okay, Mao. I understand."

Hikaru put her hand on Kanako's sulking shoulder. "Hey, why don't you come with us tonight? I'm sure you don't really have that much homework."

Kanako shook her head. "Thanks for your offer, Hikaru, but I really can't afford to slip up on any of my classes." She grabbed her bag, slipping the physics textbook back into it.

"Really?" Yoko started, "You're valedictorian of our school. You can afford to skip one tiny night of homework for a little fun for once."

"This isn't really about homework," Seira stepped in. "Clearly, her father has everything to do with her not partying with us." The other girls groaned in realization.

Kanako, however, shook her head. "No, really, Seira, I have a lot of homework."

"I'm sure it's no different from the rest of our workloads," Seira rebutted. "You overreact to every single workload you get because your father brought you up on studying hardcore instead of having fun with your life."

"That's not –"

"Actually, Kanako, she does have a point," Hikaru sided with Seira. "You kind of do listen to everything your dad says."

"Really," Seira started again, "you don't have to let your dad run your life like this! It's not healthy!"

Kanako found it hard to defend herself. In a way, they were right. She did everything her father told her. He did, in a way, run her life. However, what was she to do? Go against him and end up being kicked out, with nothing to protect her or comfort her? With her father in that type of power, there was next to nothing Kanako could do.

She felt a small arm pull her into a side hug. "Don't listen to them, Kanako," Koharu comforted. "There's nothin' wrong with havin' your dad control your life. I mean, my dad runs my life, and look how I'm brought up. And I still love my dad."

"Koharu, that's different," Seira stepped in. "You're dad's not a total jackass like Principal Mita is."

"Yeah, guplet," Hikaru chimed in, "You're dad sounds pretty cool, the way you talk about him."

"Well," Ryo started, "He was kind of mean when I last saw him…"

Koharu gave Ryo a slightly bewildered and disgusted look. "Dudes, seriously," she turned to everyone else, "my dad's the coolest dad out there. I don't give a fuck how awesome your dads are. I mean, yeah, he basically kicked me out of the house…to play baseball. To have fun rather than just sittin' around weavin' blankets and shit."

Unfortunately, Koharu's argument was not helping Kanako's situation. If anything, it was making the situation worse.

"Seriously, he called me last night," the centerfielder continued, "askin' how things were goin'. I told him school was going well, and he asked if I had a boyfriend. I told him no, and he told me not to call him until I got some." She wove her hands around her in a swift movement. "Face it, my dad's the fuckin' best."

Hikaru giggled. "Well, there'll be a lot of Rinkai High boys there tonight, so you should be able to call your dad tomorrow!" She winked at the short girl, receiving a slight smile and an eye roll in return.

Seira turned to Kanako. "Seriously, Kanako, you don't get to do this often. Just ditch Physics just once and come have a good time with us tonight." She was not doing much, but there was a lingering pleading look in the red head's eyes. Kanako could not get past it.

The other girls had the same insistent look in their eyes, with Hikaru's being the most exaggerated. "Rinkai High boys, Kanako," the first baseman egged on. "Rinkai Hiiiiiigh…"

Kanako stood there, the begging eyes of everyone else slowly starting to bite away at her perseverance. Despite how much she wanted to work on her schoolwork, keep her title, and please her father, she saw the points the other girls made. She never had that many chances to hang out with the girls in this way. She had never been to a club or any truly interesting place downtown. She had never danced with a boy the way the others were intending. The week had been long and hard on everyone, and she realized she did need a bit of a break from the work, the stress, and, most importantly, the dreams every night.

Eventually, she gave in. "Alright. I'll try my best to go."

The girls cheered, jumping around and high fiving. "Yes! I'm so excited!" Hikaru exclaimed. "Kanako's finally hangin' out on the fun side of town!"

"You're welcome to come over to my place to pick your outfit, Kanako!" Nene encouraged.

"I'll figure it out, Nene, thanks," Kanako responded.

"Well, we should head on out. Gotta get ready for tonight!" Koharu stated, leading the rest of the team out of the clubhouse.

They all conversed amongst themselves about the random things involving them and the night ahead of them. Kanako tried to find regret in this decision. She found many, but it was too late. She looked up at the setting sun, hoping the night would go well and nothing would change after the party was over.

* * *

She faced the mirror, holding a pale pink dress up to her chest, with worry in her eyes. Kanako had a mere half an hour before Nene arrived and her mind was filled with doubt and regret. She should have turned down the party, should have just stayed home and studied her physics notes. Instead, she agreed to attend an unknown party and set herself completely out of her element. And for what? A chance to be with the other girls in a situation other than school or baseball practice? A chance to "live a little"? As much as she wanted both, Kanako wondered if all of it was worth going out in the dark of the night and partying.

She sighed heavily before removing the frock from its hanger. There was no turning back now. Her mind lingered on Hikaru's last plea – the boys attending. Surely, she was not interested in those Rinkai High boys like Hikaru was, but if there were going to be any others, possibly bulkier and more aggressive boys… No. Kanako shook her head in disgust. She could not possibly be looking forward to see those brutes. Not at all.

A ring went through the house, causing Kanako to panic slightly as she quickly fixed her hair in a white ribbon. She threw on a pair of white, Mary-Jane-esque heels, grabbed her bag and quickly made her way down the stairs to meet up with Nene.

"Oh, Kanako, you look so gorgeous!" Nene squealed in excitement, causing Kanako's cheeks to match the color of her elegant dress. The short stop wore a pale pink dress, belted at the waist with a white silk ribbon, with a square neckline and long puffed sleeves. The skirt went about a centimeter or two below the knee and every hem had small white lace around it. Kanako did not have many dresses in her closet, she never was one for fancy parties, but she felt as if this dress was pretty enough to gain the appreciation of her teammates.

"There's just one problem…"

Kanako looked up in confusion. She had done everything perfectly to make herself look nice for the party. With what could Nene possibly have an issue? "What is it?"

"You're…uh…a little overdressed," Nene replied, causing a gasp to come from Kanako's mouth as she got up from the living room couch. Nene was donning a pale pink, sequined tank top, with a stark white miniskirt and a pair of lace up white pumps. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail with a white ribbon, and she had many lavish accessories. "It should be no big deal, though," Nene reassured. "We'll just be twins and things will be okay!"

Kanako's bewildered expression did not leave her face. Twins? With Nene in _that_ outfit?

Nene grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her toward the door. "Come on! Let's go to the party and meet up with the other girls!" she happily exclaimed.

As she was being pulled away from the comfort of her own home, Kanako yelled goodbye to her dad and started to severely wonder into what she had gotten herself.

* * *

By the time Sebastian's car arrived at the club, Kanako was not worried about the party. She was dead set on wanting to go back home. This was not her scene – she did not understand why she was there, why the team was there, why she was even asked to join. The other girls knew her better than this. When they stepped out of the vehicle, Kanako understood Nene's concern – she was way too overdressed for the occasion. Most of the girls were barely wearing clothes, let alone a fancy dress.

They got in with ease, the bass blaring all around them. Fear overcame the timid bookworm as they walked deeper into the madness to find the other girls. Strobe lights flickered all around the dark room as couples made the walls move with their gyrations. Suddenly, a familiar face popped up from the crowd.

"Well, well, look who finally showed up!" Hikaru happily exclaimed. "Kanako Mita's livin' the party life tonight!" The first baseman was clad in a dark green tube dress, defined at the waist with a black belt, a large, dark green, beaded necklace, and a pair of black sling-back heels. Her hair was in her signature style, but her makeup was done a lot more dramatically than normal. "Glad to see ya, here, Kanako!" she enthused, harshly patting the shy girl on the back.

"Oh my God, Kanako's here?" Yoko asked out of nowhere, fixing her yellow halter dress as she walked toward the other girls.

"No way. Daddy's girl actually showed up?" inquired Seira from behind her.

Kanako blushed at the girls' reactions. "Well, you guys asked me to come, so here I am…" she meekly replied. "Though, I will say, this party is completely different than what I imagined it would be."

Yoko's violet eyes scanned the shortstop's body with much disappointment. "I can tell it's different – you're dressed like my grandmother."

"Well, I didn't expect it to be so casual," Kanako defended herself, her gaze shifted in Seira's direction as the redhead donned her typical tight blue shirt and jeans combination.

"If it'll make you feel better," Hikaru started, pushing the smaller girl closer to the dance floor, "we would've criticized you if you wore your typical overalls instead as well."

Kanako rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks, Hikaru."

"Kanako!" Koharu shouted from behind a handful of couples. She and Izumi were dancing with two indistinguishable men; the smaller girl wearing a black tank top and white shorts, and the taller donning a navy blue halter dress. "Glad to see ya here! Go grab a man and dance with us!"

Kanako was a bit speechless, though she couldn't tell if it was because of the prospect of dancing with a stranger or the image before her of Koharu Hotta wearing heels. Nevertheless, Kanako turned down the center fielder's offer. "That's okay; I'll just…dance over here with the girls…"

"Pshh, that's no fun. Just go ask a guy to dance," Hikaru encouraged, pushing the short stop toward the random party goers. "There's one of the Rinkai guys. Go get 'im!" With that, she disappeared, leaving Kanako by herself to tackle the obstacle before her.

Kanako timidly walked toward the Rinkai high group, and nervously asked one to dance with her. Of course, as the room was loud as it was, her requests fell deaf on all ears. By the time she got to her fifth "Excuse me," the boys had moved on, in attempt to find someone able to grab their attention. Spirits fallen, Kanako realized she should have never accepted their offer. What was worse than feeling alone in a room full of people? She wanted to leave as quickly as possible when Nene showed up beside her.

"Kana, dear, don't worry," Nene supported, "you'll be able to dance with a boy tonight. Rinkai High boys aren't everything."

"Nene, is it really that imperative that I dance with anyone here?" Kanako asked in near anger. "This entire place is intimidating. I can't stay here any longer!"

Seira came up behind her, placing a strong hand on her shoulder. "All due respect, your outfit isn't helping your attitude. Come on!" With the aid of Nene, she pushed Kanako through the crowd, toward the back of the club. Kanako protested, unaware of what Seira was going to do. In all her past fantasies, Seira could do anything and everything, a thought that never ceased to frighten the small girl.

The three ended up in the club's restroom, Yoko and Hikaru already standing before the mirror with a pair of scissors and a makeup bag. Kanako was brutally pushed toward the mirror and the two before her took control of the situation.

"Wait," Kanako started, her fears catching up to her once again. "Hikaru, Yoko, what are you –"

"Making your stay here more enjoyable," Hikaru replied, slowly tightening her grip on Kanako's arm. "You're a beautiful girl, but you kinda look like a mom tonight. That's not gonna get any guys our age."

Despite Kanako's protests, Yoko and Hikaru took full advantage of her outfit, forcing her arms out of the puffed sleeves, discarding her glasses, messing up her hair, and removing the length on her dress. She screamed and argued in objection, but neither girl was backing down from her pleas. It was like they knew what they were doing, whether it fit Kanako's style or not.

Seira re-entered the room. "Geez, guys, you said you'd give her a makeover, not rape her. If this gets out to the public, her dad will –" Seira could not continue as she saw Kanako's new look. The shortstop's hair was teased out a lot more than normal. Her eyes were lined in black; her lips lacquered in a pale pink to match the dress. The long, puffy sleeves were pulled back and tied in a bow, leaving her shoulders completely bare. Her once knee-length skirt was cut to about mid-thigh, giving her an overall sexier look. Seira also did not care whether it fit Kanako's style as she gave the girl a satisfied look. "Shit, well done, guys. She's not perfect but at least a lot better than _Mom-ako_ was."

"Now, wait, guys," Kanako turned to them, horror in her eyes, "is this really even necessary? I don't even look like myself!"

Hikaru grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her toward the door. "Stop giving that face and accept this! Now, go get yourself a man!"

In a matter of seconds, Kanako was pushed back out onto the dance floor. Hikaru still had her glasses in her possession, so the shy shortstop only saw flashing lights and moving walls before her. She heard nothing but muddled song lyrics, throbbing bass, the occasional cat calls, which she only assumed were from Koharu or one of the girls. She stood lost, stranded in the middle of the dance floor, unsure of what to do, to whom to talk, where anyone was, and, ultimately, why she was still there.

"Well, well," a dark, husky voice came from behind her, "If it isn't little Mita from the girly team, trying to play with the big kids."

Kanako turned to face the stranger behind her, eyes widening at the sight of who it was. Before her stood Yano, team captain and pitcher of the Hori Private Baseball team, the man who had been haunting her for so many days and nights. He was the one person who Kanako fully expected to be at this party, and yet she was shocked that he even took the time to notice her. Despite her new "look," it was not as if she was the prettiest girl on the team. Then again, he had noticed her before. Upon hearing his hearty yet creepy laughter, she recoiled, wrapping her arms around herself to cover her exposed body.

"You should probably head home if you don't have thick enough skin to face a strapping man like me," Yano told her with laughter. "I'm probably the nicest guy you'll meet here. Why don't you head on home to daddy, little one?" He started to walk away in attempt to rejoin the dancing crowd when he felt a tug on his arm. He looked down at the blushing girl in confusion.

Kanako looked up at him, fear in her eyes, a heavy blush on her cheeks. "Um…" she started, nervously, "would you…" She held her hand before the man before her, shaking like a leaf. She did not know why she was doing this. Nothing about this made sense in anyone else's mind. Hell, this did not remotely make sense in her mind. What was she doing? Why him? Why?

"…care to dance with me?"

Yano was completely puzzled and bewildered by the request that he couldn't even laugh at the girl for trying. Of all the girls on the team, little bookish Kanako Mita was the one to approach him, to ask him for a dance, to even remotely interact with him. He stared into those large olive green eyes, seeing, to his surprise, nothing but genuine want for him to accept her offer. He looked behind him, making sure the rest of his team was not around before turning back to the small girl with a grin.

He took her hand and took her further into the sea of dancing pairs as the next song began to play. As she smiled at his acceptance, he moved her hand to his hips and his to hers, pulling her closer to him. The two started off slowly, simply swaying their hips left to right. She looked into his visible eye trying to gauge the real emotion coming from the brute when the music pace quickened. With the pace hastened their movements, an action Kanako was not expecting, but went with anyway. Out of nowhere, she was like every other girl, her hips hitting his in circular motion as he pulled her even closer to him. The grin on his face never left as the song went on and on.

The lyrics sang things of danger and someone being dangerous. Kanako could not argue with the music. She knew how dangerous Yano really was.

By the middle of the song, Kanako stopped caring about being in danger and leaned her face closer to his. She knew she was being stupid and careless. She knew this was wrong. The only thing that confused her, more than why she was doing it at all, was why he leaned into her in response.

Before the song ended, the two pushed through the crowds and found themselves in the alley near the club. Yano had Kanako pushed up against the wall, both hands on her shoulders. His eyes, hidden and visible, hungrily glazed over her trembling figure as he moved closer to her face. "Daddy's little girl's tryin' to break free of her good girl shell? Tryin' to play with the big boys now, eh?"

Kanako continued to shake in fear, but instead of screaming to get the girls to help get the brute off of her, she closed her eyes and tilted back her head. She stood there, letting the large man take full advantage of her submission, attacking her mouth with his own. The kiss was not gentle, not sweet, but very rough. Her body was forced up against the wall by his left hand. His tongue invaded her mouth, intensifying the kiss and amplifying the passion exchanged between the two. His right hand found its way to her thigh, roughly massaging anything uncovered in the area. Kanako did nothing to stop the taller man from committing his actions. Instead, she used her free arm and slowly pulled Yano closer to her, closing any and all gaps between the two. For the first night in the month of March, she did not feel cold. For the first time that night, she did not feel alone.

A scream was heard from inside the club, and suddenly, all of the Hori private boys ran outside. Seira's angry yelling could be heard from the alley as she berated the Hori catcher for attempting to touch Nene. To Kanako's questionable dismay, Yano let her go and rushed to the aid of his teammates. He turned once more to her. "Catch ya later, little Mita," he said with a grin. From the distance, she could see him wink from the shadow of his eye before he rushed off to the others.

Puzzled and amazed, Kanako stood against the wall, shaking once again. She wasn't sure of what to make of the situation. She just kissed the pitcher of Hori Private. She let him have his way with her. She let him invade every typical personal bubble she had. On a normal day, she would never let this happen. With a normal boy, she would never let this happen. With Yano, she let this happen.

Nene caught up to her, glad that she was safe. "Kanako, it's so late! We should get you back home! I'm sure your father is going to be so worried!"

Kanako nodded, making her way to the white car on the curb. The entire night, she had her regrets. When she looked in the mirror, she regretted saying yes to the girls. When she saw Nene's outfit, she regretted wearing that dress. When she arrived at the club, she regretted not turning back. When the girls tore up her dress and changed her entire image into the typical party girl look, she regretted not leaving as soon as possible.

She slipped her arms back into her sleeves, fixed her hair, removed her makeup, and reapplied her glasses by the time she got back home. When she got to her room to go to sleep, she thought of Yano's wink, Yano's touch, Yano's smile. By then, she regretted nothing.


	3. I Want You, Mine

**A/N: **_So, I'm back in school. Updates may come slower, but I've developed a plan to alternate between this and I Romanticize Everything. So, this week, I have a new chapter for this. Next week, I should have a new chapter for IRE. And then alternating until I'm done with IRE (which will be in three chapters!). After that, I don't know what I'll do but we'll see. But if you've never read I Romanticize Everything, and you like Hikaru's character, you should read it. Definitely read it when I have the next three chapters up, but I have a few good chapters up now I guess._

_This chapter is longer than the last, but I don't know if I like it more. It's a lot of dialogue, which I kinda hate writing, but w/e. Also, Kanako gets really cheesy at one point, and I hate how I wrote that section, but let's face it. I was in character. Let's just accept it. Lol._

_I gave some people names. Princess Nine was really good about giving names to CotDs. Yep._

_Also, this is where things get superfun so I hope you guys enjoyyyy! 3  
_

**Disclaimer:** Don't waste your time with lawsuits - I don't own Princess Nine. Or the song Dangerous by Cascada, that I know did not exist in the time of P9. Nope - don't own it. I did kinda give some names to the Hori Private kids though because P9 decided Yano was the only one that mattered. But I didn't really create the characters or anything. NOPE.**  
**

* * *

**Just Pretend**

_Daddy's little girl falls for a bad boy. Desperate to be with him, she drops her label as a good girl and lets her other side gradually take over. Can the Kisaragi girls bring their shortstop back to reality before she loses herself to a few tubes of lipstick and a green wig?_

**Chapter 3 – I Want You, Mine**

Seven o'clock the next morning found the shortstop alone in the locker room, her finger to her lips, her head in the clouds. The other girls were not there yet – possibly still recovering from the long night before. It was not as if they had to recover much. The other girls did not find themselves pushed up against the wall of an alley by the end of the night. The other girls did not stay awake, pondering their actions the entire night, tying two and two together. The other girls did not turn their twisted dreams of kissing such a thuggish brute like Hori Private's pitcher into a reality.

The realization had haunted Kanako the entire night. She knew it was wrong to dream such terrible dreams of a romantic setting with Yano. She knew it was wrong to not deem these as nightmares, to accept them, yet hide them from the rest of the team. And yet, she let him have his way with her at the club. She let him invade her personal space during the dance, kiss her forcibly, push her against the brick wall, and let his hands wander all over her. Despite denying her feelings during these dreams, during their encounters, she did not stop the man from doing anything. Instead of letting her sleep, her submission to Yano confirmed that she had strong feelings for him, whether she wanted them or not.

The only thing that continued to confuse the shortstop was the way Yano reacted. Never in her life did she think someone as high and mighty as the pitcher for Hori Private would ever take her offer on a dance. Never did she think someone like him would kiss her back.

Her thoughts were soon interrupted by the giggling and commotion outside of the locker room. Talk of the previous night invaded the room as the eight remaining teammates got settled and changed into their uniforms for the day's practice session, all accompanied by a musical number from the tiny Tosa native.

"Man! Last night was a blast, wasn't it guys?"

"Oh yeah! I haven't danced that wildly in so long!"

"Yeah, because a week was so long ago, right, Yoko? Geez, count your days for once, you dingbat."

"Ow! That hurt, Seira!"

"_Your love hits me like no other…_"

"Well, it was a real fun night aside from those stupid Hori Private jerks. Really, going after the most vulnerable girl in our group is such a low move! I hope I've scared them off forever, Nene."

"I hope so too, Seira. That fat one is beyond frightening."

"Aren't they all pretty scary? I didn't think Fatty was nearly as terrifying as the others were."

"Okay, guys! Roll call!" Ryo called out, disrupting the ongoing conversation. "We're gonna go by…last name today!"

Izumi's death glare shot up from behind her book. "You're kidding me, right? We change attendance every single day. Can we please, at the _very_ least, stay on a schedule?"

Ignoring the complaints from the third baseman, Ryo continued her call of attendance, beginning with Yuki. "Azuma!"

"Here."

"Daidoji!"

"Here!"

"I'm here. Clearly, Himuro and her mouth are here." Another death glare was shot in Ryo's direction before she called the next name. "Hotta!"

"_Or is it too late… _Oh, yeah, I'm here! _Gotta know what's on your mind…_"

"Mita!"

Kanako stayed silent, her eyes still facing the window. Usually, she was one to answer Ryo without argument, but the captain's calls fell upon deaf ears as the short stop's mind was only filled with strong arms and hooded eyes.

A harsh kick to the chair pulled Kanako back into reality, forcing the small girl to nearly fall over. She looked up; her eyes on level with Seira's recently re-crossed leg, before Ryo called again. "Yes, Ryo?"

"Just taking roll. I saw you were here, but I didn't hear you. No worries!" Ryo reassured with a smile before reverting back to the others. "Morimura!"

"Yep!"

"Tokashiki!"

"Here!"

"Yoshimoto!"

"Present as always, captain!"

"Alright! Everyone's here!" Ryo exclaimed gleefully. "We still have a few minutes before practice should start, so I guess we can just hang out for a few."

Hikaru propped her feet on the table. "Ryo, chica, you totally missed out on an awesome night!"

"Oh my god," Yoko started, "it was so much fun. There were so many people and so much music. I can't believe you ditched it to work for your mom!"

"Sorry, guys," Ryo apologized. "Family has priority." She turned to Hikaru with a teasing grin on her face. "So, did you get with any Rinkai boys?"

Hikaru rolled her eyes and smiled. "What's a party without gettin' some from a rival team, right?" The pigtailed Kansai native laughed, throwing her feet up on the table before her. "Nah, I just danced with a few. I can dance with a few strapping boys, no big deal, but in the long run, I'm a one-man kind of woman."

A laugh was stifled from across the room as Yoko leaned her arm on Seira's shoulder. "Try telling Seishiro that," Seira snickered. "He's probably heard that voicemail we left about you going off with Ishimaru last night by now."

Hikaru's face fell flat. "What the fuck, guys! Again? This is why I should stop goin' out with you guys every Friday night. I _always_ get pranked like this!" Her head made its way into her hands as the other girls laughed. Everyone knew Seishiro was going to believe every lie Seira and Yoko told him, and everyone knew an argument would be held between the couple. While Hikaru was beyond fatigued of the constant bickering she did with Seishiro in order to hold the relationship intact, the other girls, Seira and Yoko in particular, took much pleasure in playing with the couple's stability.

"_I know, but somethin's takin' over now… I wanna run, but I don't know how…_" Sitting on the edge of the table, Koharu continued to sing, her head bobbing to the music. "_You just crossed my border now… we're standing face to face…_"

Ryo looked at the shorter girl with a questioning expression on her face. "And why exactly has Koharu been singing the same song over and over?" she asked the group.

"_Gimme a break, I'm melting away, you're so dangerous…_"

Hikaru leaned back in her seat, pulling the center fielder off the table and onto her lap. "Guplet's had this one song they played last night in her head all night long. I swear, she hasn't stopped singing it since she downloaded it and that's _all _you can hear from her room."

Koharu stabilized herself, draping her arm around Hikaru's neck. "I'm sorry, but if you guys heard a song you found that catchy, you'd have it stuck in your head all night too."

Ryo giggled before turning to Mao. "So, how did Soshi enjoy the club, Mao?"

The catcher shrugged. "He seemed to have fun. He got bored of standing around and dancing all the time though, so we later went out, had dinner, and saw a movie afterward."

"Yeah, the dance scene was kinda dull tonight," Seira commented. "I mean, everyone was dancing, which was great, but none of my guys had good rhythm."

"Maybe if you were, y'know, into guys, you wouldn't think that," Yoko sneered.

Seira whipped her head to face the blonde. "I'm gonna punch you in the face," she threatened, causing Yoko to back away slightly.

"Speaking of dancing," Hikaru started, a large grin creeping across her face, "Kanako, who was that guy you were with?"

Kanako stared blankly at the first baseman, unable to find words. "W-What guy?"

"Oh, Kanako, don't play dumb!" Nene teased. "We all saw you with a really tall, muscular boy, dancing to the Dangerous song!"

Upon hearing the word "dangerous," Koharu broke back into song. "_You're so dangerous… Dangerous!_"

"And to make things even more scandalous and interesting," Hikaru started, excited to hear the juicy details of Kanako's adventure at the club, "the two of you disappeared from the club. Just what happened after that dance?"

Cheeks flashing crimson, Kanako turned away, facing the twiddling thumbs in her lap. "Oh…uh…" she stuttered, embarrassed about the entire situation. "I don't know. He was just a guy willing to dance with me. I'm sure I'll never see him again."

Yoko flashed the short stop a teasing smirk. "Trust me, sweetie, those are the best kinds of guys." A violet eye closed into a wink as it was Seira's turn to get back at the blonde for the earlier comment.

"Yeah, Yoko knows that because Yoko really gets that many guys in one night and isn't good enough to get any of them to come back!" Daggers were shot at the redhead as a stifle of a laugh escaped Seira's mouth.

"And exactly why are you girls still in here?" the booming voice of Coach Kido arrived out of nowhere, startling all ten girls in the room. "The guys you face to get to Koshien aren't gonna care about who you girls slept with last night, now get your butts out there and practice!"

An ocean of groans echoed as the girls exited the locker room and entered the baseball field for practice. Leave it to the coach to ruin a good gossip session. The nine team members assumed their positions on the field, eight of their minds fully set on baseball. Kanako, on the other hand, still had her mind set on Yano.

There were definitely reasons behind her hiding information about the boy with whom she danced at the club. In one part of her mind, she thought about how her feelings would affect the people around her. No one on the team would approve of this. No one liked any of the Hori Private men, and would rather die than be in a romantic setting with any of them. If anyone, even her best friend Nene, was to know of her feelings, Kanako would be exiled from the team, forced to turn against the girls she called her friends. It was bad enough she had that long period of time harboring a crush on Seira, the resident bad girl of the team. The team did well enough knowing nothing of that incident. These feelings for Yano had no business reaching the others' ears. No one would understand.

Then, of course, there was her father. Principal Mita attended the Hori Private game the year before and witnessed the intentional ambush acted upon her by one of the other teammates. He knew the things of what those boys were capable. There was no way her father would allow her to interact with someone like Yano, let alone date him. He would never allow anything that could possibly cause harm upon his daughter to happen, whether she wanted it or not. Her father could not know about these feelings she had been harboring for Yano. He would not understand.

But what was Kanako to do? She knew she could not stop liking Yano on command. Just because her friends and family would look down upon the entire situation should not mean she was limited to living a miserable, lonely life. She knew that was unfair. She was just as deserving of a happy relationship with the boy she wanted as Ryo, Hikaru, and Mao were. Why did her happiness have to be stunted just because the boy of her dreams happened to be a thuggish ruffian from a rival baseball team?

She continued to wonder about his actions. She knew she was nothing more than a plain Jane compared to girls like Seira, Yoko, Izumi, Yuki, and Hikaru. Why would Yano return her actions? Why would Yano pull her into a tighter embrace, forcing their bodies to touch to the beat of the music around them? Why would Yano willingly kiss her, touch her, and hold her in the cold alley? It was unusual enough that she leaned into everything at first; she had never been intimate with anyone before, let alone someone with his assumed level of expertise. But she would think that someone like Yano would just back away and mock her as he rejoined his gang. Instead, he stayed with her.

Of course, Kanako had her doubts. He did go to Hori Private. There was a high possibility he did this to any and every girl he met at a club. For all she knew, she might not have been the first girl that night. But the shortstop also knew that she could not just dwell in the negatives. There were too many "what if" scenarios in her head for her to be pessimistic.

Practice ended earlier than usual, much to everyone's joy. As most of the girls conversed amongst themselves in the locker room, Kanako took the opportunity to face her fears and figure out exactly what she should be doing about the situation before her. She found herself alone in the changing room with her former crush, changing into the clothes she wore at the beginning of the day. Her gaze was shifted in the opposite direction of the red head, blushing as the older girl slipped into a tighter top. Despite the commotion in the other room, silence consumed the changing room until the shortstop shattered it like glass.

"Seira, do you think I can ask you something?" Kanako asked hastily, still embarrassed to be alone in the same room with the abrasive former sprinter.

Seira pulled on her jeans before nonchalantly responding. "Yeah, what's up?"

Kanako shyly walked toward the taller girl, sitting on the bench in the middle of the room. "Have you…" she stuttered, fidgeting in her seat. "…ever liked someone you shouldn't have?"

Halting everything she was doing, Seira turned to give the bookworm a questioning look. The creeping shade of rouge across the smaller girl's cheeks was obvious, adding to the confusion. She sat next to Kanako, setting her boots to the side. "Why do you ask?"

Kanako continued to avoid eye contact, though she could feel her fellow teammate's blue eyes piercing through her. "Um…I'm just wondering," she lied. "We don't really know much about each other, so I figured I'd ask. I apologize if it's too personal."

Seira shook her head and averted her gaze. "No, it's fine. I'm just surprised you're asking." She looked up toward the ceiling with a thoughtful look in her eyes. "Yeah, I've had those kinds of relationships before. Maybe too many times."

The shortstop swiftly turned to face the girl beside her. "You don't have to go into detail if you don't want to!"

In a matter of seconds, Seira's gaze snapped right to Kanako. "Relax, Glasses. This isn't a super intense gateway into my life or anything." She turned away again, crossing her legs and leaning back into her previous state of thoughtfulness. "My first boyfriend was like that. I don't really remember his name. I think it began with an M or some shit. Whatever. He was a jackass, constantly trying to get me to join his gang, constantly trying to get further in the relationship than I had wanted. It didn't help that he was a cheater. If memory serves, he dumped me for a total slut that never wanted him, about a year into the relationship."

Kanako began to apologize but Seira cut her off.

"I told you, it's no big deal. He was a jackass," she reassured. "There were a few relationships in between, but eventually, Rumi came along. I won't say much about that, but nothing good ever came out of that relationship."

Kanako gazed at Seira with concern. The red head usually never opened up like this. She had occasionally heard about Rumi, but never any stories behind the pair. And to hear about the other boyfriend was unsettling as well.

"Here's the thing, Kanako," Seira started, making eye contact with the four eyed shortstop. "If you like someone no one's gonna approve of, go after him anyway and try and prove everyone wrong. If he's really a scumbag, think of it as a learning curve. If you just listen to everyone else and never go for it, you may be missing out on someone who could be a good guy deep down. That's how I've gotten through everything. Granted, both of them were rumored to be jackasses and both rumors were confirmed, but that shouldn't stop anyone else."

Everything Seira told her sunk in as Kanako nodded. All of her problems were answered. Whether or not anything was going to work out for her, if someone as experienced as Seira was going to tell her to go for it, what did she have to lose? She rose from the bench and bowed in thanks, but she was soon stopped.

"No, really, why'd you ask? Are you in this situation?" Seira asked, slipping back into her previous prodding from before practice.

Kanako blushed, but smiled as she answered. "Well… I was once. I just wanted to know how to get out of it." With that, she walked away, leaving Seira slightly confused.

She walked out with the other girls as they all went to get an early dinner at a nearby pizza shop. Hikaru was on the phone, arguing with Seishiro about Seira and Yoko's earlier prank. Mao and Ryo conversed about their boyfriends as Koharu continued to sing the song from the previous night. At one point, Kanako stepped out of line, catching the attention of the other girls.

"Kanako, aren't you coming with us?" Nene asked, concerned.

Kanako shook her head. "No, sorry, guys. I've gotta tutor someone in my calculus class. Maybe we can do pizza another time?"

"If this kid you're tutoring is a boy," Hikaru started, putting her conversation with her boyfriend aside, "I want all the details tomorrow!"

Yoko gave Hikaru a confused look. "That's silly, Hikaru. What kind of boy takes calculus?"

Ryo stepped in. "It's okay, Kanako, go ahead. We'll definitely do dinner again another time!"

"Have fun with math, Kana!"

"Remember, I want details!"

"_My biggest mistake…I'm blinded by your lies…_"

Giggling at Koharu's singing in the distance, Kanako began her journey to an unknown address, in hopes to settle everything in her mind. Now that she knew what to do, she was not about to let the team get in her way.

* * *

The sun was setting as Kanako reached her destination. The night before, she had stayed up and tracked down the location of Hori Private School in assumption that she could access Yano during his practice sessions. She knew it was scandalous, especially right after her own practice, but she never knew if this chance would come again. She had finally gotten the team off her back and her father was quite possibly under the assumption that she was out with the rest of them. This time was as perfect as a time could ever get to finally come to closure with her feelings.

The ruffians' laughter could be heard a mile away from their club house. Kanako slowly walked up to the window, peering in to see that they were all there. The catcher had his feet on the table, laughing as another teammate did an impression of, Kanako easily concluded, one of the Kisaragi boys. The manager of the team sat in the back with a sickening smirk on his face. All of the boys were practically howling, talking about partying, girls, sex, and other topics that were muddled together.

Then, of course, there he was. Yano was stretched out on the couch in the middle of the room, one hand on the top, one hand lost in his lap. His signature toothpick was caught in his arrogant smile. His hooded eye was still hidden from everyone, even with his hat off. Maybe it was just Kanako's feelings getting in the way of everything, but the lights seemed to be on him, portraying him as the king of Hori Private. The very image turned the already wild butterflies in the girl's stomach insane.

She shook her head out of the clouds. Yes, she enjoyed these strangely enjoyable fantasies of Yano, but she had a job to do in the long run. She walked to the door, the music and commotion becoming louder as her heart raced, and knocked three times.

"'Ey, Maruko! Get the damn door!" a voice boomed from inside. Kanako waited, patiently but nervously, for her call to be answered. Her hands clamped tightly together in front of her as her eyes shifted straight to the ground. The sounds from inside intensified as the door opened to reveal the catcher of Hori Private. Kanako's nervousness turned to immediate fear as the grin on the large man's face widened. She remembered him from the game – she remembered how he ran her over in attempt to get to second base. Despite anything she felt for Yano, that one moment still scarred the shortstop.

"Maruko, who is it?" asked an indistinguishable guy from inside.

"Well, Ken," the catcher known as Maruko started, "it looks like one of the cute Kisaragi girls got lost here."

A howl was heard soon afterward as Maruko was joined by a much skinnier man. "Ho boy! I sure as hell hope it's Hotta! Which one is it Maruko?"

Maruko laughed. "Sorry, Isao. Looks like it was little Mita lost her way home to daddy."

Isao's face fell. "Dammit, I'm never gettin' my hooks on that mermaid, am I?" Kanako easily recognized the skinny man as Hori Private's second baseman, who once used the term "Why so shy, Sugapie?" at their last game together.

"Nope!" A husky voice came from behind. The boys in the door frame parted way for the team's captain, pitcher, and, as Kanako deemed him, king to show his face to the shy shortstop. "Well, well, well. Fancy meetin' you here, little Mita. What business do you have at the big, scary, Hori Private?"

Kanako's face went red as she pictured Yano behind rose-tinted frames. His baseball jersey was worn over bare skin, rather than an undershirt as always. A few buttons were undone, exposing the muscles of his chest and the hair that covered them. He stood up a bit less than straight, leaning slightly against the doorframe to peer down at her. There was nothing stereotypically perfect about him, but Kanako stared at him in awe, as if he really was a king. In a matter of seconds, however, she looked down at her hands and bowed slightly. "I was wondering if I could talk to you, Mr. Yano."

"Skip the formalities, babe," Yano smirked, holding up his hand. "Yano's just fine." He took her by the hand, surprising her a bit, and walked her into the club house. Kanako started to get scared as she could feel every hungry eye of every Hori Private teammate on her, peering into her. She did not want this. All she wanted to do was talk to Yano. He stopped at one point. "So, sweet thing," he started, turning her to face him, "whadya need to talk about?"

Her blush intensified. "Well, actually," she spoke, breaking eye contact, "I was hoping we could talk in private."

Yano shook his head. "No can do, princess," he refused. "Anything I know, the whole gang has to know. I ain't hidin' anything from them. So, if you're gonna say something to me, you might as well say it in front of everyone. If not, you might as well run along back to daddy."

Kanako tensed, her gut clenched. She did not want to have to tell the entire team when it only had to do with Yano. She did not feel as if anyone else needed to become involved, especially anyone as scary as the other boys. However, she could do nothing. She took in a deep breath and searched her mind for words. "Would you –" she started, fumbling to find the easiest way to tell him. "Would you –" She bit back tears and embarrassment, trying to get everything out in one easy question. She quickly locked eyes with his and let out everything. "Yano, would you like to be my boyfriend?"

The smirk on Yano's face disappeared as shock consumed his expression. The other boys around him started to snicker and laugh at her question, believing this was all a big joke. "You…can't be serious…" Yano whispered, still in a state of surprise.

"I'm not kidding," Kanako confirmed, continuing to blush. "You've appeared in my dreams almost every night. I used to look at you and see nothing but a terrifying boy from a rival team, but not anymore. I know everyone else would be telling me to stop these feelings and like a different boy, and I know it's a strange concept that I, a student at the most prestigious girls' high school, would have such strong feelings for you. But I do have feelings for you, and I would like to prove those girls wrong about you. So please, would you like to go out with me?"

The expression on Yano's face did not change. He remained in a state of shock that was unable to be broken. Why would someone as innocent and young as Kanako Mita want to be with someone as rugged and terrifying as him? Nothing made sense, but as he looked into her pleading eyes behind those large frames, he knew she was genuine. He had to admit, he was not used to girls being genuine.

The boys around him, on the other hand, continued to snicker and laugh, much to Yano's annoyance. He turned around quickly, ordering them all to be quiet. He shifted back to Kanako, trying to give her a hint of a smile before speaking again. "Wow, you're actually pretty serious aren't ya? This would be your first relationship, wouldn't it?"

Kanako nodded. "Yes. Not the first time I've had feelings for someone, let alone someone like you, but it would be the first legitimate relationship."

Yano closed his eyes, swearing under his breath. "Right. I'm gonna talk to my boys for a bit. You just wait right here, little one." He flashed her a smile before ordering the boys to follow him out of the club house. "Make yourself comfortable! Take a load off your shoulders for once!" he told her as he left the building.

By the time the boys got to the field, Yano's mood turned serious. They made sure they were far enough from Kanako, so she could not hear a single part of the conversation. He turned to the others, who were still laughing at the whole situation. "Alright, assholes, listen up," he began. "I'm usually on top of things, but shit, I have no idea what to do."

"My advice?" a boy with shaggy red hair came in. "Fuck her. There are other girls on that team that got more to offer. Himuro, for example! Hot, good at everything, and spunky? She's fucking perfect!"

"I mean, I'm happy it's not Hotta that's askin' ya, dude," Isao started, "But I agree – there's nothin' really that great about Mita. She's kinda boring."

"Just don't take Nene, okay, Yano?" Maruko piped in.

"Shut up!" Yano barked. "It's not the fact that she's plain that I'm worried about. It's the fact that she's the team's goody-goody. You know what'll happen if I invest in this relationship. Morimura will chew my ass off." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Besides, you know who her dad is."

"The chairperson? Isn't that Himuro?"

"No, dumbass," Yano retorted. "Mita's the principal's kid. Which is just as bad as if she was the chairperson's kid. You really think someone with his power would want his precious little girl to spend her first relationship with one of us? Especially after the previous game?"

"Wait, Yano," Maruko interrupted, "you wanna be in a relationship with Mita? She seems a little shy for you. Wouldn't Morimura be a better match because she's all angry and feisty and shit?"

"First off," Yano responded, "Morimura's a lez, isn't that obvious? Secondly, Mita and I already had a bit of an encounter last night. If you guys were in my spot, you wouldn't mind being able to say you got some from a Kisaragi girl, right?" Snickers were heard around the circle. They all knew Yano was right. "Besides, she's really not that bad. She's got more curves than Hayakawa or Hotta."

Isao jumped at the sound of the latter name. "Hey now, Yano, don't knock Hotta. Have you _seen_ that ass? I mean, damn."

Out of nowhere, the manager of the team stepped in. "Y'know, this whole thing isn't as bad as you guys think it is. Yano, you don't need to hesitate at all, just go for it."

Yano raised an eyebrow, immediately picking up that there was nothing innocent about his encouragement. "Alright, Ken, what's the plan?"

Ken smirked. "You've already gotten Mita out of her element once. Just tell her you'll date her as long as she can find a way around Pops, and, by the time the prelims roll around and we have to go against them and shit, we'll have the whole team in our trap. And then, all we have to look forward to is Koshien."

Yano was still skeptical. "I don't see how this is helping us at all, Ken," he told the blond. "This isn't about Koshien – this is about me trying not to destroy the most innocent person on the team, even though I have to say no."

"You're not gonna say no," Ken retorted. "Say yes, date her, and we'll beat them in the long run. It's not like you're gonna stay with her the entire ride, are you?"

"Psh, of course not!" Yano answered.

"Then, this should work out," Ken stated. "Just think about it, bro. Lead her on for a bit, then break her heart right at prelims. Everything will be perfect from there on out."

Yano stood there silently as Ken explained the plan. Everything made sense, but he had to wonder, was Ken being too harsh? Everything seemed to be too nasty, too much of a cheat. But in the end, did Yano want to have a relationship with a Kisaragi girl get in the way of his team's dreams of getting to Koshien? Especially when he did not even truly like her?

In a matter of minutes, the boys returned to the clubhouse. Kanako sat patiently on the couch, nervous about the captain's answer. Yano walked up to her, slowly sitting down next to her. He draped his arm around Kanako's shoulders, bringing her into him, forcing her to face a warm smirk on his face.

"Here's the thing, sweetheart," Yano started, watching lumps form in Kanako's throat as she expected the worst. "If you can find a way to see me all the time without daddy and the other broads finding out, I'll date ya. Promise."

Kanako's eyes lit up at the sound of Yano's request. "Really? You will? You want to be my –"

"Yeah, why not? We had fun last night anyway." Yano's grin widened, causing Kanako's insides to go insane. She thanked him profusely, promising to find a way around the others as soon as possible.

After a while, Yano took Kanako to the gates of Hori Private where a taxi awaited her. Yano had called and paid for a cab to take Kanako home as the sun had set completely, and it had arrived just in time. She got into the cab, telling the driver to take her home before leaning out the window to say her goodbyes to Yano.

"I promise," she started, a smile on her face, "I'll figure something out."

Yano smiled back. "I know you will. You're the brains of the group." He then leaned in, placing his hand behind her head, and kissed her softly. She melted into the kiss, slightly pushing herself closer to the brute until they parted. "Goodnight, Little Mita," he bid farewell, hitting the cab as it drove away from the school.

As he disappeared in the distance, Kanako sank into her seat with a big smile on her face. Finally, she could have that Cinderella story that Ryo and Mao both had. Maybe it was more like Beauty and the Beast, but in the long run, Kanako was finally getting what she wanted. Whether it was good or not was completely irrelevant.

* * *

She got home relatively late, or at least late enough for Principal Mita to chastise her for being home later than anticipated. She thoroughly apologized for her tardiness, claiming she would never arrive home late again, before disappearing to her room. She knew her father would forgive her – she was only late once in her life.

She sat in her room, wondering what she could possibly do to get around her father and the team. She could not skip practice or else everyone would catch on. She could not skip class or else everyone would catch on. She realized she could not be seen past her curfew, especially if other girls were out and about, as she could be recognized and reported to her father or anyone else. However, if she could not figure out a way, she would not be able to be with Yano. At this stage of her realization, she was not about to let that happen.

"_Kanako…_"

She stopped what she was doing at the sound of her name being called by a familiar female voice. She turned around to see no one else in her room, realizing it was a hallucination of some sort and went back to her prior engagement with the Physics textbook.

"_Kanako…_"

She turned again, still seeing no one behind her. She got up to look outside to see if the other girls were just merely playing jokes on her like they did Hikaru the night before, but no one was around. The bushes beneath her window were still, the area free of anyone.

"_Kanako…_"

The third call had Kanako's attention directed at the bookcase. She slowly made her way to a giant blue book, pulling it from the middle shelf. At that point, everything clicked in her mind. No one was there. She was all by herself. The voice she was hearing was all in her head, trying to escape the cut out pages of an old medical dictionary. She took the heavy book to her bed, extremely scared of opening it. She had not opened the book since the Rinkai High game. She meant to have it closed for the rest of her life. In fact, she was shocked she never burned the book. However, things were making sense. Perhaps, there was a reason why she kept the book. Perhaps there was a reason it was calling her name.

She took off her glasses and set them on the bed beside her before opening the giant book. Looking straight in the mirror, she placed the shaggy green wig, which she found in the pages of the book, on her head. After blinking a few times, she saw her reflection smile.

"_Why, hello, Kana, dear_," the woman before her spoke. "_It's been a while, hasn't it_?"


End file.
